A nurse is assessing the printout from the fetal monitor. What is ...

[newbem]

A nurse is assessing the printout from the fetal monitor. What is the legal responsibility of the nurse?
 
  a. Correctly identifying abnormal FHR patterns and prescribing medication
  b. Correctly identifying abnormal FHR patterns and notifying the health care provider
  c. The nurse is not legally responsible for fetal monitoring
  d. Providing technical assessment to the monitor technicians

Question 2

The nurse is alarmed as she assesses a protruding umbilical cord from the vagina. What immediate action should the nurse take?
 
  a. Monitor intensity of contractions
  b. Place the patient in the knee-chest position
  c. Notify the charge nurse
  d. Ask the patient to perform a Valsalva maneuver

[trog]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Nurses are responsible for the timely notification of the primary caregiver in the event of an abnormal fetal heart rate (FHR) pattern. The nurse cannot write a medication order.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
The knee-chest position reduces the pressure on the prolapsed cord. The charge nurse will need to be notified, and the contractions will need to be monitored. However, the priority is reducing the pressure on the prolapsed cord.